Jareth's Mischievous Brother
by Ihnldy
Summary: Jareth conspires with his brother Jack; Candlejack, that is.
1. Chapter 1

"You're a menace! That's what you are!"

"Now don't say that, Jareth. You _know_ you love me!"

"Love you? Who would love _you_, you miserable excuse for a fae?"  
"You would, brother. You would love me. Especially since I've given you all these new acquisitions."  
"Acquisitions? Is that what you call all these devils running around my castle?"

The fae shrugged, stepping off the window ledge and briefly floating through the air to land near his brother. He tossed his silver mane and smiled.

"I thought you liked children, Jareth."  
"Children? _Children_? Brother, you've brought me entire _families_! I hope you understand that humans _reproduce_…"

His brother tisked, "Now, Jareth. Was it not a mere twenty years ago at court, you were complaining about your job…?"

Jareth smirked, "Are you going to bring this up again?"  
The other fae laughed in delight, " 'It's not fair!' you said. 'Why do I have to be the goblin king?' you said. 'The little minions have no class, no discretion, no intellect.' Really, brother. I have done you a tremendous favor. Now your city will be populated with _people_. Doesn't that make you happy? You can finally have a kingdom populated with citizens somewhat like yourself. In fact, it will be the only kingdom in the underground made up almost entirely of humans. They will know how to tame those little goblin creatures. Look!" he pushed Jareth toward the window, waving a hand out toward the city. "Already they've started bonding with the _monsters_. See that little girl? She's _playing_ with them. See how happy they are? And look…" with a snap of his fingers, the two brothers appeared just outside the gates of the city.

"This wretched landfield will soon be but a memory. They've burned most of the garbage; a wonder why you would allow something so disgraceful in your kingdom." He shook his head sadly, "You, my brother, are truly a confirmed bachelor; heaps of garbage, bogs of stench, chickens in your throne room-" he would have continued, but Jareth interrupted…

"_I'm_ a confirmed bachelor, am I? I don't see _you_ settling down!"

The fae laughed, "On the contrary…"

He snapped his fingers again, and they appeared in the gardens outside the castle. A girl with pale skin and auburn curls was sprawled out on the grass reading a book.

"I will have that one," he said quietly, pointing to the girl, "In a few more years."  
Hearing voices, the girl looked up at him and scowled, immediately recognizing the clod that had carried her here.

The silver haired fae offered her a bright smile, and vanished with his brother.

Once again in the throne room, Jareth sighed and collapsed onto his throne. "I still don't understand, brother, how you managed all this."

The fae shrugged, dropping to the floor and sitting cross legged near his brother. "I had nothing better to do-" he started, but frowned as he felt something lumpy under his thigh. He lifted his leg up, reaching under it and pulling out…

A riding crop. He shot his brother a stern accusatory look.

Jareth merely grinned and shrugged.

Tossing the riding crop over his shoulder, it vanished into the air.

"It occurred to me that your summons was far too wordy," he explained.

Jareth raised an eyebrow and sighed, "Indeed. Perhaps I preferred it that way…"  
"Nonsense! How can you build a kingdom, Jareth, when you have to sit around and listen for someone to say all those words in the correct order? And then you only get one, perhaps two."  
Jareth shot up from the throne, "Since you're so _fond_ of these humans, brother, perhaps _you_ should take over my kingdom."

His brother jumped up, a horrified expression crossing his face. "_Good Heavens_ no!" he cried, "You know how I like my freedom, Jareth."  
Jareth laughed abrasively and started pacing across the room.

"It would serve you right! Then you would know what it's like to be tied down, unable to come and go as you please. And what gives you so much faith in these humans, brother?"  
"Now, Jareth; I've only taken the most worthy specimens. And you will find that when humans are cut off from distractions and temptations, they can become quite happy and industrious."  
"But _how_ did you get away with this?" Jareth exploded.

His brother laughed, "Easily, Jareth. Father thought it a great joke. You know how father is fond of jokes…"  
"Yes, yes," Jareth said, dropping once again onto his throne.

"…and he agreed to give me this liberty for a small space of time. After all, there are _so many_ humans in the world."  
Jareth suddenly smiled, "Do you still have this…permission?"  
His brother smiled, "Yeees. What are you thinking, brother?"

Jareth produced a delicate glass sphere that held the image of a young woman with long dark hair and bright green eyes. She was sitting at a desk with a red pen, making marks all over a stack of papers. A pair of glasses was slipping down her nose, and she pushed them up again.

Suddenly she stiffened, and looked all around.  
Jareth laughed. She always knew when he was watching her.

"Go and get her for me," Jareth said. "I may as well get _something_ pleasant out of this ordeal."  
His brother slapped him good-naturedly on his back, "You _dog_! All this human-bashing you do, and here you've fallen for one!" He laughed and jumped up to the ledge of the window.

"Of course, you realize I will almost assuredly be bringing back her entire family. And possibly some of her neighbors, certainly that old woman from next door, and –"  
"Yes, yes YES! I understand, the more the merrier, brother. After all, you've already brought me practically an entire city. What's a few dozen more?"  
"Well, when you're right, you're right. Now do you see how much simpler this would have been had your summons been narrowed down a bit, to say, just one word?" He laughed again with pure delight.

"I will return when I have her. Goodbye, Jareth."  
Jareth smiled, his anticipation growing.

"Goodbye, Candlejack."

**THE NED**

**(Oops, pardon my dyslexia..)**

**THE END**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own any of these characters.**

**BTW, in case you haven't heard of **_**Candlejack**_**, let me explain.**

**He's a character that originated on the cartoon Freakazoid. When you say his name, he comes and kidnaps you. Yep. That simple.**

**I've never actually watched **_**Freakazoid**_**; I learned about Candlejack on Yahoo message boards and decided he could be a great asset to the goblin king.**

Sarah rose from the desk and circled around the room, listening for cackles or snickers, watching for round rolling objects.

Then just as suddenly as the feeling had come over her, it was gone.

She sighed and relaxed; maybe she'd been working too hard. She shot a glance to the stack of ungraded papers, and decided to take a short break.

She stepped into the kitchen and pulled a can of soda out of the fridge. Then she slipped into her sandals that were by the front door and decided to go outside for a walk.

She opened the door…

"Hello, Sarah."

She stood there for a moment frozen, trying to decide if she should ignore them and continue on her way, slam the door in their faces, or invite them in for tea and cookies.

***

Jareth had tried to be patient; really he had.

But his brother had been gone for nearly _twelve whole seconds_, and Jareth decided he couldn't stand the tension.

He wanted to watch up close and personal, wanted to see the look on Sarah's face…

So he joined his brother just as he was stepping up to Sarah's door.

The door flung open and there she stood.

***

"Jareth!"

"That's me."

There was a long pause; _almost four seconds_.

"What are you doing here? And who is this?" she asked, indicating his brother.

The brothers smiled and exchanged glances.

All she had to do was say _one word_, and her fate would be sealed…

"This is my brother."

Sarah eyed the other creature with curiosity. He was tall and lean, his eyes and hair either bright gray or shimmering silver. Perhaps both.

She tried to recall if she had spoken any foolish words lately, knowing that the simple act of speaking often put her at some kind of disadvantage, where the goblin king was concerned.

What sort of trick did he have up his sleeve this time?

She spoke firmly. "Now on to my first question; what are you doing here?"

Jareth grinned, "It's quite simple, love. You see, in a moment, you're going to be my brother's prisoner. And my brother, being the generous and loving creature that he is, is going to give you…_to me_."  
For the first time, Sarah noticed the rope Jareth's brother held in one hand. He raised it up and waved it, stroking it softly with his other hand. A coy smile was fixed on his mocking lips.

A frisson of fear shot through her, and she slammed the door shut and bolted it.

Running into the kitchen, she snatched up the phone, and called the police…

"My name is Sarah Williams. There are two strange men outside my door threatening me…."  
"Now don't exaggerate, Sarah," the operator said.

Sarah frowned in confusion. "I need the police!" she cried into the phone.

"Just put the phone down, Sarah."  
Sarah screamed in frustration, recognizing Jareth's voice on the other end, and slammed the phone down.

When she looked up, he was standing there in her kitchen, his brother snickering in amusement.

"Sarah?"

A knocking sounded at the door. "Sarah, are you ok?" her stepmother's voice sounded.

Sarah smiled for the first time and ran to open the door. This was perfect! Now Karen would _have_ to believe her story about the labyrinth, what with Jareth standing in her kitchen and all…

She pulled the door open and hugged her stepmother excitedly. "I'm so glad you're here! There's someone I want you to meet."  
Toby was right behind his mother, and was busy playing with a gameboy. He absently stepped into the house and went toward the living room.

Sarah guided Karen into the kitchen and thrust an accusing finger at Jareth. "That's him! That's Jareth! The one I told you about all those years ago-"  
But Karen wasn't looking at Jareth. She gasped, a hand covering her mouth as she met the silver eyes of Jareth's brother. "Oh my gosh! It's _him_!" she said in horror.

Sarah shot a confused look at Karen. "You, uh, know him?"  
"Sarah! Haven't you been watching the news? That's Candle-" again Karen gasped and clasped a hand firmly on her mouth.

"Candle _what_?" Sarah asked, completely bewildered.

"HUSH!" Karen cried, "DON'T SAY IT!"

"Don't say _what_?" Sarah almost screamed.

Hearing the commotion in the kitchen, Toby finally looked up from his gameboy.

His mom looked really worried, and there were two strangers looking very amused. In fact, one of them looked just like-

"WHOA! COOL!" he shouted, "IT'S CANDLEJACK!"

"NO!" Karen screamed.

Jareth slapped his forehead in frustration; it was happening again, _blast it_. Once again he had the _wrong_ Williams…


	3. Chapter 3

"Let him go!" Karen cried. Then she was smacking him repeatedly with her purse. "Let him go you bastard!"

The fae flinched and took a few steps back, angling himself out of her reach.

"Jareth, I think this woman is going to murder me!" he said with mild amusement. "What do you keep in that thing? Rocks?"  
"Yes!" she lied heatedly and took aim at his face.

Sarah watched with great confusion, then crept past Karen and went further into the kitchen…

Toby looked down at the rope tied around his waist and rolled his eyes. His arms weren't bound, just his waist; so he grabbed the rope and tried to slip down past his hips. Then he tried pulling it up over his chest. The thing would not move. Suddenly the fae gave the rope a small tug, and Toby's feet lifted from the ground.

"Woah! What's going on? That's a neat trick!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Meanwhile, Sarah found what she was looking for and pulled it out of the cupboard: an iron skillet.

She gripped it firmly and came up behind the two faes, trying to decide which one to hit first.

Since Jareth's brother was the one who had tied up Toby, she swung the skillet at him.

But the skillet didn't make it half way to the fae's head before a gloved hand reached out and snatched it from her grip.

Sarah frowned as she watched Jareth fling it across the room. He did not look amused.

"That's not very nice, Sarah. How would you like to be hit over the head with a skillet? Hmmm?"

Sarah looked at the skillet, now resting on the sofa where it landed, then at Jareth.

"But, it's made of iron!" she pouted, "I-I thought-"

Jareth's mocking laughter cut her off. "I know what you thought, Sarah."

With a steak knife, Karen was now sawing at the rope that bound Toby. "I swear, Toby! When will you learn to keep that big mouth of yours shut?"  
At that moment, Robert stepped into the house. "Hey, Sarah, did you know that your front tire was-

He stopped, midstride. Time seemed to stand still as took in the scene before him.

Jareth and Candlejack were silent, waiting for his reaction.  
"That's Candlejack!" Toby said excitedly, pointing at the fae.

Robert frowned in confusion, "Candlejack? That's an…interesting name."  
Karen sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.

"You're not supposed to say his name," Toby explained matter-of-factly.

Robert glanced down at the rope now binding his waist, and raised an eyebrow.  
"Hmmm. This is very very odd," he said dryly.

Jareth was just stepping out of the kitchen with Sarah. "Yes; but it _is_ rather entertaining!" he said.

"Indeed," his brother replied. Then gave a sharp tug on the rope, and it vanished. Along with Toby and Robert.

Now it was just Karen and Sarah, facing down the two faes.

Jareth smiled, "Do you care to join them, Sarah? All you have to do is say his name."  
Karen pulled Sarah close, "What are we going to do?"

"What did you do to them?" Sarah demanded.

"Oh, they're perfectly fine, Sarah," Candlejack answered.

"How can we get them back?" Sarah asked.

The brothers exchanged glances and smiled.

"You don't." Jareth answered. "They're mine now."

"Yours?"

"That's what I said."  
"Well…then…." Suddenly an idea popped into her head…

"Oh, I don't think so, Sarah," Jareth said flatly before she could say anything, "This time you are not responsible, and you are not entitled to rescue them."  
Karen took a good look at Jareth, and a moment of clarity crossed her face.

"Oh, Sarah! _That's_ what you were trying to tell me!" She strode up to the goblin king and gave him several smacks with her purse.

"You dirty bastard! Stealing my son and taking advantage of a vulnerable young girl!"

Candlejack frowned, raising an eyebrow as he caught his brother's guilty look.

"Oh I see!" he said, "_That's_ why you wanted to take her. You wanted revenge because she beat your labyrinth." He threw his head back and laughed. "I should have known there was more to this than meets the eye."

Sarah glared at Jareth, her temper rising. Then she turned to Candlejack. "YOU BRING THEM BACK RIGHT THIS INSTANT, OR YOU WILL BE SORRY!"

Candlejack sighed, and suddenly looked very tired. He turned to his brother. "Jareth, this is taking much longer than I anticipated."

"Nothing is ever simple were Sarah is concerned," Jareth replied. He walked into the living room and dropped down onto Sarah's sofa. He shifted, pulling up the iron skillet and holding it as if it were a guitar, idly drumming his fingers over it.

Candlejack shrugged, "I'm sorry, Jareth. I guess the girl is too smart for the likes of us." And he laughed, walking away and vanishing.

Jareth jump up from the couch. "I'm afraid I must be going as well. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Williams," he said to Karen, grinning slightly.

"Stop right there!" Karen and Sarah cried at once.

Jareth stopped. "Yes? Was there something you wanted?"

"Don't play stupid, Jareth! I wish you would stop toying with my life like this!"

Jareth crossed his arms and sat on the arm of the sofa. "Perhaps you would like to negotiate?"


	4. Chapter 4

Sarah and Karen exchanged nervous glances. Karen shrugged, feeling rather helpless.

Sarah let out an audible sigh and tossed up her hands, "All right. What did you have in mind?"

Jareth grinned. He walked toward the front door and pulled it open.

"I'm feeling generous. Come and look for them," he offered as he stepped out of the house. "You know the rules."

Sarah followed, seeing that the door opened to a familiar scene. She quickly turned to Karen.

"Now don't freak out mom!" she said, raising her hands in a serious gesture.

Karen's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she approached the door…

"Oh my!" she said weakly, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

The labyrinth spread out before them, the castle looming in the distance.

Sarah took Karen's trembling hand, "It's ok. I've been here before, remember? I think we can do this!"

"Well, I guess _you_ would know," Karen said with a small mirthless laugh as she stepped hesitantly out into the underground.

Up ahead Jareth waited by the same dried up tree.

Sarah waved a hand at him, "I won't have you following along just to gloat! Be gone!"

Jareth shrugged and walked away, dissolving into the air.

Karen head was tilted in thoughtful appraisal, "He seems like a nice man."

"_WHAT_?" Sarah cried in outraged shock.

***

"I knew I shouldn't have made fun of her. Now it's come back to haunt me!" Toby whined.  
Robert staggered to his feet, brushing off the dust from his slacks. "What are you talking about?"

"Sarah told me all about this room. I didn't believe her. I thought she was just trying to make me look stupid by falling for one of her tall tales."

"Her tall tales?"

"Yeah, you know. Like that one about the meteorite landing in the backyard. Or the one about her mother Linda kissing Elvis Presley. Or the story about you getting lost in Sicily and fighting off a bunch of thugs." Toby went on and on.

"Ahem, …Toby?" Robert said quietly.

"Yeah dad?"

"Son; those aren't tall tales. Those things really happened."

The silence stretched on.

"Oh." Toby said finally.

Robert sighed and began walking up another flight of stairs. Toby followed, not wishing to be separated again.

They had become separated for about half an hour after they arrived in this bizarre room, having gone separate ways. Neither could explain how it was that Toby ended up walking on the ceiling and Robert on the walls. Robert had finally ordered Toby to stay where he was so he could try to get to him.

"How do we get out of this crazy place?" Toby cried in frustration, not for the first time.

***

Natalie crept through the dark tunnel as quiet as a mouse, pausing often to peek over her shoulder, making sure no one was following her. She brushed aside a lock of auburn curls and peered down the corridor.

"Turn back now!"

The booming voice bellowed out of nowhere, and Natalie leapt with fright, screaming.

She turned and saw the great stone face in the wall.

"You scared the crap out of me!" she whispered harshly. "Shut up!" She saw the rest of the faces lining the walls.

"All of you, just shut up. Do you hear me! Not another word from any of you!"

There was some disappointed mumblings from the false alarms, but otherwise they complied with her command. "Spoiled sport!" one muttered as she passed by.

At last she came to the door. She pulled it open slowly…

"Hello darling! What took you so long?"

She screamed in frustration and slammed the door shut, sprinting back through the corridor.

Of course he was there waiting at the end of the passage.

"Just go away, you jerk! Why can't you just leave me alone?" She tried to dart past him, but he slid his foot out at the last minute, causing her to trip.

A moment later, she was once again cradled in his arms.

"Now really, Natalie. You should have learned by now you cannot escape from me. Why do you keep trying?"

Natalie was quiet, knowing he had won another round. Again, damn it!

He transported them back to the garden outside the castle.

"Now why don't you go and finish that book you were reading earlier. And dearest, if you need anything, just…say my name."

He winked at her, and vanished.

Natalie spent several minutes cursing and kicking the trees, taking her anger out on anything in her path. Then she stopped, hearing something coming from the castle.

"HELP! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME? SOMEBODY GET US OUT OF HERE!"  
It was a boy's voice, and she curiously approached the castle…

***

"It's hopeless! I guess we're going to be stuck in here forever!" Toby crossed his arms, scowling in frustration.

"Hello?"

Robert and Toby jumped, hearing a girl's voice. She was standing in the farthest corner of the room, looking at the strange staircases.

"Wow!" she said, "I didn't know about this place. How long have you guys been stuck in here?"

"About an hour," Robert answered.

"I suppose you've met Candle you-know-who?" she asked.

They nodded.

***

"Finally! I thought I wouldn't find it!"

"Find what?" Karen asked as she watched Sarah approach the stone wall, hands stretched out in front of her.

"The passage! It's right here!" she said excitedly, "Come on, let's go."

"I don't see anything," Karen protested, "It's just a wall; there's no…oh! That's interesting." She stepped into the passage, turning left.

"No!" Sarah cried. "We can't go that way! We can _never_ go that way!"

Karen frowned, "Why not?"

Sarah frowned, "I don't know. I didn't ask."

"Didn't ask who?"

"The worm."  
Karen only stared at her.

***

At last, Robert and Toby worked their way to Natalie. Then the three of them stepped out of the exasperating room, down another set of steps, and into the throne room.

Save for a few clucking chickens, the room was empty.

"I never want to see that place again for as long as I live," Robert said with a sigh of relief.

"Me neither," was Toby's reply. "What do we do now?"

Robert sank down onto the throne and messaged his temples. "I knew this was going to be a bad day," he said forlornly. "I should have stayed in bed."

"How do we get out of this place?" Toby asked the girl.

She rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Search me. I've been trying to get out for almost a year now. And every time I get close, that freak shows up and brings me back to the goblin city."

Shocked, Robert looked up, "The…goblin city?"

"Which freak?" Toby asked. "Oh, you mean Candlemmmmf!"

"Don't say his name!" Natalie cried as she pressed a hand against Toby's mouth.

"Ok ok. I won't say it."

***

"I really don't see why we are even having this discussion, mom. Who's side are you on anyway?"

Karen shrugged. "It just seems like you're being too hard on the man. After all, he _did_ let you get your brother back."  
"_Let me!_ Mom, he threw stumbling blocks at me every step of the way!"

"Oh, maybe he was just having a little fun. He seems very interested in you, Sarah. Why else would he go through all this trouble?"

"That's ridiculous!" Sarah answered as she jumped up several times to try and see over the hedge.

"You know, Sarah," Karen calmly continued, "You are a very pretty young woman. And you have never shown any interest in boys. Why is that?"

They rounded another corner of hedges and finally came to a set of doors. Sarah looked angry. Karen sighed, "Sarah, I had hoped you would find a nice boy and …and.."  
Sarah looked over at her stepmother, "…and?"

Again Karen sighed, "Look, Sarah. I can't hide this from you forever. Especially now. But the truth is…"  
Sarah stepped closer, "What? The truth is…?"

Karen forced a smile, "The truth is I love you like you're my own daughter. And I just want you to be happy."

Sarah looked confused for a moment, but then smiled, feeling slightly awkward, "I…I love you too."  
Karen embraced her stepdaughter, but inside she felt rather cowardly. Though her words were true enough, they weren't the ones she had meant to say.

***

Robert was pacing back and forth. His countenance had changed from depression to anxiety.

"I don't understand. Why are we here?"

"Try to calm down," Natalie counseled, "Worrying doesn't help anybody. You're here because Candle-jerk is the goblin king's brother. He dumps off all his victims in the goblin city. Although, I don't recall anyone being deposited in _there_," she said, pointing toward the room of staircases.

"Why does he have that silly name?" Toby asked curiously.

Natalie smirked, "His name is Jack. The other is his nickname. See, the candle is his calling card, a way to say 'Jack was here'. So his friends call him Candleja-

Well, you know."  
Toby nodded, "Oh. How do you know that?"

Natalie blushed and shrugged.

Toby noticed his father was still pacing.

"Dad, are you going to be ok?"

Robert stopped, realizing he should probably try to calm down for his son's sake.

"I'll be fine, Toby. It's just that I...well, there's …things you don't know son."

"Things? What things?"

Robert smiled weakly, thinking he'd probably said too much. "Forget it. Nothing important."

"WHAT THINGS?" Toby demanded, shaking his father by the shoulders.

Robert held out a hand and gently pushed Toby away. "Just that…I was supposed to have an appointment at six o'clock," he lied.

Toby didn't look very convinced. He stared at his father. His father stared back.

Finally Toby shrugged and walked away. "Guess you're going to miss it."

***

Outside the labyrinth, opposite of the entrance side, the goblin king listened to his brother's pleas.

"You can't do this, Jareth! It would be terribly unfair."

Jareth laughed, "Who are you, of all people, to tell me about what is or isn't fair?"

Jack stomped a foot, "I'm a person who sympathizes with the Williams. You knew who they were all those years ago, yet you said nothing. Why would you go and ruin everything for them now?"

Jareth snorted, "You don't sympathize with them, Jack. You just love the idea of them fooling the elders. That's really quite selfish, you know."  
Jack shoved his brother to the ground. "Shut up. You're one to talk! You wanted me to snatch their daughter. That was quite selfish, wasn't it?"  
Jareth lay on his back, arms crossed under his head. "I could have ended Robert and Karen's little adventure all those years ago. But I thought it best to wait until Sarah was older."

Jack dropped down to the ground and sat next to his brother.

"So now you're going to snitch? Ruin all their hard earned efforts and achievements?"

Jareth gave a curt nod, "That's exactly what I'm going to do. Just as soon as Sarah thinks she's won."

He laughed quietly, feeling very content and satisfied.


	5. Chapter 5

Sarah pushed open the door on the right. Karen started forward, but Sarah flung out an arm to stop her.  
"Wait! This is a trap door. We have to jump over it." Sarah leapt over the stone block and motioned for Karen to do the same.

She looked dubious, but she followed suit and followed Sarah through a vaulted passage.

"Where does this lead?" Karen asked.

Sarah shrugged. "I don't know really. Last time, I fell through the trap door and ended up in a dark oubliette. I don't really want to repeat the experiAAAAAAHHH!" As Sarah stepped forward, another block gave way under her feet, and she fell through.

"Sarah!"

Karen came to the edge of the opening and looked down.

It was a slide.

***

The slide carried Sarah through a tunnel at a rapid descent. A murky light was coming from the other side and growing brighter. A vine was sticking through the walls of the tunnel and Sarah desperately grabbed hold of it just before the slide ended. She breathed a sigh of relief, and looked around her to see where she was.

A small crowd of people was seated around a table in a courtyard. Having heard her screams, they were now gazing at her in curiosity.

About two feet below the opening of the tunnel was solid ground. Feeling rather sheepish, she let go of the vine and dropped onto the ground. Leaning forward, she called out to Karen.

"It's ok! Come down!"

She waited, and ten seconds later, Karen came through the opening, slipping to the ground and landing on her feet much more gracefully than Sarah had done.

She dusted off her jeans and looked up.

"Oh dear!" she breathed, seeing the curious onlookers. She quickly turned away from them, facing the stone wall where the tunnel ended.  
"Aren't you going to introduce yourselves?"

One of them had risen, and was now standing behind Karen, casting a shadow over her.

She bit her lip, shaking her head.

Sarah was completely baffled by her stepmother's unusual reaction, but she smiled brightly and said, "We didn't mean to interrupt you. We fell through the trap door where this tunnel begins. We're trying to get to the goblin city."

The company laughed. But the one who had addressed them was silent. He put a hand on Karen's shoulder and turned her around. She stared at her feet, refusing to look up.

"You look familiar," he said. "I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before."

Others were now rising and coming to see the two intruders up close. They were mostly women, with a few men dispersed throughout. They were pale and slender, clad in simple dresses with intricate scroll designs. And they had pointed ears.

It was plainly evident that Karen was very uncomfortable. Sarah stepped forward and put an arm around her.

"We must be going. Do any of you know the way to the goblin city?" Sarah asked politely.

Again there was a chorus of laughter.

"My dear," the first man said, "You are in the courtyard of the goblin king's castle. You need only to go through that gate and you will very shortly find yourself in the goblin city."

"Thank you very much, sir."

They started on their way. Sarah had to increase her pace to keep up with Karen, who was most anxious to leave the gathering.

***

In the garden outside the castle, Robert, Toby, and Natalie were trying to think of a plan of escape.

Upon their attempt to go through the goblin city, they had been stopped by armed guards and escorted back to the castle.

"Sorry; we're just following orders," they'd said.

Toby had been thinking hard for a while, and was about to reveal his brilliant scheme, when he looked up and saw his mother and Sarah approaching.

Karen ran into Robert's arms, holding on to him tightly.

Sarah smiled in content and yes, just a little conceit.

"We made it!" she said. "Now he has to let us all go!"

"Not quite, love." Sarah jumped, hearing the goblin king's voice as he appeared in front of her.

"You see, my dear, there's a little secret your parents haven't told you."

Sarah frowned, feeling a heavy sense of foreboding coming on.

Robert and Karen looked at the goblin king in shock.

"Don't be absurd!" Karen cried, "You don't know what you're talking about!"  
"Oh, don't I?" Jareth mocked. "Did you really think I wouldn't know?"

Karen shrugged sheepishly. "Well-I-that is-…we hoped you wouldn't," she said in a small voice.

"Come now, Karen. You misjudge me badly. I think it's time for a little family reunion, don't you?"  
Robert stepped forward, "Don't you dare! I swear if you say one word-"  
"Oh, but it's too late, my friend," Jareth assured him, and he produced a crystal and tossed it to the ground.

It shattered and released two beings into their midst.

"Oh my darling!" A woman rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Karen, then proceeded to kiss her all over her face. "My darling, my baby, my dearest!" she cried, wiping tears from her eyes. "I knew you would come back! I just knew it. I-…_goodness! _You poor dear, just look at your skin," she cupped Karen's chin in her hands, feeling her face and neck. "Didn't I tell you about the dangers of the aboveground sun? It's robbed years and years from your lovely young face! Why, it will take _weeks_ to restore it. And what on earth are you wearing? You always _did_ like to dress up in strange clothes, and pretend to be someone else…." The woman went on and on.

Meanwhile, Robert was facing his own assault.

"Young man, you're in a heap of trouble! What did you think you were doing, running off like that? I should lock you away in a cave somewhere …"  
"Don't talk to me that way!" Robert cried, "I'm not a child! I'm a grown man!"

"HA! That's what _you_ think. You're only eighty-seven years old, boy…"  
He continued with his speech, but Sarah didn't hear most of it, her eyes wide with shock. Her father was eighty-seven years old? It was impossible.

Jareth grinned with delight as he watched Sarah's expressions.

"…and running away like an idiotic little brat just proves my point! I swear boy, you won't be allowed near another magic portal for as long as you live!"  
"Stop treating me like a child, father! I have my own life up there. I have my own wife and children, now. You can't control me anymore!"

"You want to bet?"

"What's the meaning of all this?" Sarah cried out suddenly. Everyone was silent for a moment as they briefly regarded her outburst.

"And you haven't even told your children about us, have you! You ungrateful little brat!" Robert's father went on.

"Is that your son, Karen? Really! Keeping my own grandchildren a secret? You should be ashamed of yourself!"

" …and of course you and your family will live with us." Robert's father was saying.

Karen's mother turned on him in outrage, "I think not! My precious daughter living in that horrible forest with all those terrible giant spiders? Unthinkable! She and her family will live with _my_ people!"

"Up in those ridiculous tree houses of yours? I don't think so! "

The argument went on for several minutes before the goblin king interrupted.

"If I may offer a solution, ladies and gentlemen." At once they were silent, and waited for him to continue.

"As you know, my kingdom is centrally located. The Williams will live there."

"Well, I suppose that will be fine," Karen's mother agreed.  
"That suits me," said Robert's father.

"Excellent," the goblin king said, "Especially as their daughter is going to be my bride."

But Sarah hadn't heard his gently spoken words, as her brain was too jumbled with everything that was unfolding before her. So she naturally wouldn't have noticed that no one seemed surprised by his announcement.

The arguing picked up again. Finally, her father turned to and offered her the explanation she'd been patiently awaiting.

"I'm very sorry we never told you, Sarah. Your stepmother and I….we were raised here in the underground. You see…we were wished away children. This is my adoptive father. That's Karen's adoptive mother. They're …um….well….they're elves. We've never even seen the goblin king, at least not since we were very young, so we didn't recognize him. " He grinned sheepishly.

"Does mom know about this?" Sarah asked, meaning Linda.

Again that guilty look crossed Robert's face. "Yes, she knows. She's the one I left with."

"The one you _ran away_ with!" his father interjected.

"… but she met someone else somewhere along the way and wanted a divorce."  
"Well, then, how did you meet mom?" Sarah asked, meaning Karen.

Karen tossed her mother a guilty look. Her mother frowned in disapproval as she pointed at Robert. "That young man came to visit Karen in our village on days you were staying with Linda. Then one day he kidnapped her!"

Karen rolled her eyes, "He did not kidnap me mother; I left on my own!"

"I say he kidnapped you!" her mother insisted, "Your father and I had a nice young Elvin prince picked out for you…"  
"_Young_?" Karen laughed, "The guy was over five hundred years old! He was so …_patronizing_. I couldn't _stand_ him!"

More arguing ensued and Sarah could only watch with trepidation. She looked around briefly and saw that Toby had slipped away, as he always did when grownups were arguing, and was now walking along the stream that circled the garden. She decided to join him. The goblin king followed her.

Sarah's heart rate quickened as she felt Jareth slip an arm around her waist. An unexpected warmth burst through her as he leaned over and whispered, for her ears only, "It's beautiful, isn't it? You're stuck with me now, and there's nothing you can do about it."

***

Having watched all the commotion, Natalie decided it would be a good time to take her leave. She slipped away quietly, coming to the edge of the garden.

"And just where do you think you're off to, little girl?"

She jumped, and scowled at the silver being who appeared before her.

She sighed. "Why, I'm not going _anywhere_, Jack."  
"Good," he said, slipping an arm around her shoulders and starting for the stream, "Because I've decided this would be an excellent time to tell my brother about our engagement."

She halted abruptly, and upon her resistance, he merely swept her up in his arms and continued. She was a bit horrified to find that she had grown rather fond his touch and a warm tenderness spread through her as she sighed in resignation and rested her head against his chest.

"I _was_ going to wait a few years," he said calmly, "but I've decided it will be much more difficult for you to run away all the time if your belly is fat and heavy with my child."

Instantly the tenderness was gone and she elbowed him hard in the ribs.

AND AFTER SOME FAMILY COUNSELING, THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

THE END

_Are you confused? _

_Me too; don't worry, it's just a story. :)_


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